Machine for mechanically cleaning cracker and cake cutters.



O. R LENTZ. MACHINE FOR MECHANIGALLY CLEANING ORACKER AND CAKE GUTTERS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

1,053,954. w Patented Feb. 18,1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, u. c.

G. R LENTZ. MACHINE FOR MECHANIGALLY CLEANING CRACKBR AND CAKE GUTTERS.

APPLICATION IILED APR. 9, 1912.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

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ccLuMnm PLANOURAPH C0,,WASHINGTON, u c.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

CHARLES R. LENTZ, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOHN H. SI-IOAF, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR MECHANICALLY CLEANING GRACKER AND CAKE CUTTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. lawn, a citizen of the United States, residing at lndianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for 'itiechanically Cleaning Cracker and (Jake Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for mechanically cleaning cutters used in connection with cracker, cake and like machines; and the object of the invention consists in the provision of a machine of the above character wherein cutters above noted,

which are heavy and clumsy, may be expedi' tiously, economically and eifectively cleaned.

I accomplish the above object of the in vention by means of a machine illustrated in'theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the machine, on the dotted line 11 in Fig. 3, showing the cutter-head in position to be washed and cleaned. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine with the drive pulleys is a longitudinal section through the machine on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig; 1 is a fragmentary detail view showing the locking device in an unlocked position. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail plan view on the line G6 in Fig. 1. Fig. (5 is a fragmentary detail plan view on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of the lower end of one of the cutters showing the recess or cup formed therein. 7

In the drawings, 10 represents the main body of the machine which acts as a reservoir for retaining the water in which the cutters are washed and cleaned. This body is supported on suitable legs 11. The body 10 is extended vertically for some distance by means of a hood 12 which is bolted fast to the upper edge of the body 10. Arranged vertically within and near each end of the hood 12 is a shaft 14, and these shafts reciprocate through apertures formed in the horizontally disposed ears 15 formed in tegrally on the standard 16, the latter being carried by and secured to the top of the hood 12. The lower ends of the shafts 1 1,

which project into the chamber formed by the walls of the body 10 and the hood 12 in order to accommodate cutter-heads of different widths. The cutter-head 18 is of the usual form, and is provided on its lower surface with the cups or cutters 19, and at each end with the arches 20. The arches 20 are provided with transverse slots 21 which communicate with the larger slots which engage the slots 21 and 22.

Cracker and cake machines are provided with bolts to hold the cutter-heads in operative position. The slots 21 and 22 are taken advantage of in the present machine to suspend the cutter-head 18 from the crossbeam 17, and is accomplished by means of suitable bolts 24, which extend vertically through longitudinal slots 2 1 in the cross-beam 17, the bolt-heads on the lower ends of the bolts 24 entering the slots 22 when the cutterhead 18 is moved laterally into position under the crossbeam 17.

As the cutter-head is quite heavy, easily requiring the services of two persons, I provide means for temporarily supporting said cutter-head from the cross-beam 17. This is accomplished by providing a support 25, shown by means of dotted lines in Fig. 3, said support resting on the upper edge of the body 10, and the forward end being held by the bracket 26, secured to the wall of the body 10.

To enable the cutter-heads 18 to be moved into and out of the machine requires a portion 80 of the side wall of the hood 12 to be made removable, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and said side member is retained in position by means of a springcatch 81 arranged at each end of the machine. A piece of felt packing 32 may be interposed around the edge of the removable portion 30 of the side wall and the adjacent edges of the walls of the hood 12, to prevent the escape of water when the machine is in operation.

As before stated,.the cutter-head 18 is supported from the cross-beam 17, secured to the lower ends of the vertical shafts 14. In order to move the cutter-head into and out of the water within the body 10, I impart a reciprocating movement to said shafts 1 1 and cross-beam 17 This reciprocating movement is secured by means of connecting-rods 35, one of which is arranged along side each end of the machine. The upper ends of these rods pivotally engage the blocks 36, which are made fast to the shafts 14, and the lower ends of said heads have an eccentric connection with the pinions 37 mounted on the shaft 88. A connecting-rod engaging each shaft 14 insures a uniform application of power to the reciprocating parts and prevents binding. The pinions 37 are driven from smaller pinions 39 arranged on the shaft 40, and by means of the pulleys 43, which carry a belt 44:, leading to a suitable power source, the machine is driven.

Each cutter-head 18 is provided, in the usual way, with a number of cutters or cups 19 which cut the crackers and cakes from the dough, and these cups are recessed in their lower ends, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, to provide a cutting edge to cleanly cut the crackers and cakes from the dough. These recesses in the lower ends of the cups become clogged with dough and to keep the cutter-head in a sanitary condition requires frequent washing.

To effectively and mechanically clean the outside and inside of the cups 19, I arrange upon the bottom of the body 10 a brush 45, the bristles of which project vertically into the path of travel of the cups.

As each cutter-head is provided with a yieldable plate 46, which prevents the dough from beinglifted oft of the table when the cups are withdrawn, I provide means for forcing said plate upwardly on the downward travel of the cutter-head 18, so that the lower exterior surfaces of the cups will be free of obstruction and easy to clean. This is ac complished by securing to the bottom of the body 10, and at opposite ends of the brush, an L-shapedmember 50. The height of these members is such that the plate 46 will be forced upwardly away from the ends of the cups when the cutter-head 18 reaches the limit of its dowward stroke. As the bristles of the brush are of a length equal to the height of the members 50, it will be seen that as the ends of the cups emerge from the plate I6, they immediately engage the bristles of the brush, so that the dough will be thoroughly scrubbed oif while the head 18 is reciprocated. p

Having thus fully described my said in vention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 'l. A washing machine for cleaning cutter heads comprising a body adapted to form a water-holding reservoir, a pair of vertically disposed shafts arranged in said reservoir, guide-ways for said shafts, means for connecting said shafts and for supporting the cutter-head, a brush arranged on the bottom of the reservoir and adapted to clean the cutting faces of the cutter-cups, and means for imparting reciprocating movement to said shafts and cutter-head to move the latter into contact with said brush.

2. The combination with an adjustable supporting means for supporting a cutterhead, a water-holding reservoir for submerging said cutter-head, a brush arranged on the bottom of the reservoir and adapted to clean the cutting faces of the cutter-cups, and means for imparting reciprocating travel to the cutter head supporting means to move the cutting faces of the cutter-cups into and out. of contact. of said brush.

3. The combination with a supporting means for supporting a cutter-head and yieldable dough removing plate, means for adjustab-ly connecting said cutter-head on said supporting means, a water-holding reservoir within which to submerge said cutter-head, a brush for contacting the face of said. cutter-head when the latter islowered, means arranged within the bottom of the reservoir to contact and force the yieldable plate away from the ends of the cutter-cups, and means for imparting reciprocating travel to move said cutter-head into and out of contact of said brush. i

In witness whereofI have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis Indiana, this 20th day of h larch, A. I). one thousand nine hundred and twelve.

CHARLES R. LENTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I atents,

Washington, 

